Similarities
by bulletproof trucker hats
Summary: Sakura meets someone, someone with red eyes, and a thirst for power. But...it isn't Sasuke. Rated K plus, for safety just in case .
1. First Impressions

_Dedicated to _Twisted Musalih_ (cool name, by the way...), for making me think about this pairing._

***~~~***

He had red eyes.

That was the first thing Sakura noticed about him.

The second thing was his dark hair, his pale skin, and his obvious perchance for wearing black.

And, last but far from least, she felt the aura of power surrounding him, his thirst for more power, his willingness to do anything to achieve that goal.

Tears sprung to her eyes, memories surging to the forefront of her mind, as he studied her in bored disdain.

But, he wasn't Sasuke.

"Who _are_ you?" Sakura whispered.

He studied her another moment, obviously debating whether or not to reply to her.

Just as she was despairing of receiving an answer, he spoke.

"Hiei."

***~~~***

**_Message from Goth Lolita!_**

_So sorry this is so short! There _will_ be more, though. Yes, and I know what you're thinking._

"HOLY SHIT! This isn't going to be a one shot!"

_Hahaha, yes, indeed, this shall be more than one chapter long._

_But, the chapters will be short._

_Hey, you can't win 'em all.  
_


	2. Pretty in Pink

She had _pink_ hair.

That was the first thing Hiei noticed about her, and, he had to say, he found it ridiculous.

It was _bubblegum pink_, for the love of….hmmmm, he couldn't quite think of anything strong enough to swear by. He should probably fix that.

But that wasn't the point.

The second thing he noticed about her was her name.

Sakura. Spring cherry blossoms.

How…_fitting_. A pretty, annoying name, for a weak, annoying, ningen girl.

But, she _was_ pretty. He had to admit that much.

You'd think Hiei should have learned that flowers _can _be deadly, what with the amount of time he spends in Kurama's company.

He soon realized that she _wasn't _just a weak, ningen girl.

But, even after all the horrors, and blood, and various other icky, undesirable things she had seen, her green eyes still held that look of caring innocence.

It reminded him of how Yukina looked.

He never wanted that look to go away.

***~~~***

_**Message from Goth Lolita!**_

_Yays, another chapter up! And it's longer than the last one! (heh heh…that's what she said….O.O I apologize for my apparent inability to censor myself.)_

_So, anyway, I know the general direction I want this story to go in, but ideas-slash-criticism is always appreciated. So, if you have an idea you think I can-slash-should-slash-may be able to use, don't hesitate to tell me.!_

_Remember, read and review! _

_Or I'll tell Kiba you abuse puppies, and sic him and Akamaru on you._

_And, if you're thinking, 'Oh, they don't know where I am!' Remember. They are _Inuzuka_. They have _super senses_. They _will_ find you._

_So, chose the lesser of the evils, and review! ^___^_


	3. Jinchuuriki

She was friends with a hanyou.

_Her_ people called what he was a 'Jinchuuriki', but he was a hanyou. Perhaps not by blood or heritage, but he was ningen, bonding with a youkai.

Hanyou.

The hanyou was the reason he was there.

Neither one or the other. Hated by youkai, feared by ningen. Not accepted by either half of his people. _That_ was the life of a hanyou, a life Hiei understood, all too well. It was painfully similar to the life of a Forbidden, after all.

And, an angry, hurt, scared hanyou, lashing out, was a danger to the ningen around it. Koenma was loath to allow meaningless bloodshed.

Which was the reason Hiei was there.

But, to his carefully hidden surprise, there _was_ no danger. Instead of a wild, feral hanyou, more base animal, than anything sentient, he found a _boy_. A cheerful, happy, blonde boy, with questionable taste in clothing.

And, through watching said boy, he found _her_.

A ningen girl.

She knew _exactly_ what the hanyou boy was, and she _accepted_ him. She gave him unconditional friendship and affection, as well as the occasional smack upside the head, when she felt he really needed it.

And, Hiei couldn't help but wonder.

What would _he_ have been like, if he had someone like her?

Would he have been like the hanyou boy, smiling and content? Happy?

Would he not have the urge to murder things as much as he did?

But those thoughts were quickly pushed away.

He was what he was, after all. It was pointless to obsess over 'what if's' and 'could have been's' _now_.

Hiei snarled softly and abandoned his perch in his tree.

Damn, now he _really _needed to kill something.


	4. Captured

Hiei lay on the floor of a cage, in a slowly growing pool of his own blood..

A silver-haired ningen with glasses stood outside the bars, scribbling on a clipboard. Hiei raised his head and growled at him. It was about all he could do at the moment. The wound he had wasn't fatal- far from it, actually- but it hurt like a _bitch_, and the blood loss was no picnic, either.

And the fact that this _ningen_ medic reminded the Forbidden of _Shigure_ only strengthened his urge to kill him.

Painfully, and if possible, more than once.

And Yusuke said there were no perks to working for Koenma and the Reikai.

Of course, it was Reikai's fault that he was here to begin with. So that might cut down on the pro side of things. Slightly.

That's right. Hiei was blaming Reikai for his predicament.

Reikai and _her_.

The Shigure-ningen, and his master, a singularly evil ningen, whose general nastiness had him on the verge of turning into a youkai, had been after _her_. Hiei had, in an action quite uncharacteristic of him, attempted to _save_ her. He wasn't used to keeping an eye on other people while he fought. The Shigure-ningen had caught him off guard.

Blackness, as he lost consciousness.

Then, he was awaking in this Kami-forsaken (if the distinct lack of blue-haired reaper girl was any indication) cell, covered in blood. _His_ blood.

You know what? Forget about the Reikai.

This was _all _her fault.


	5. Experiment

They were searching for a _cure_. Those _idiots_ were using him as an _experiment_. The snake-ningen-Orochimaru was ill, and they wanted to recreate his youkai healing.

While Hiei knew that not _all_ ningen were like this, the ningen that _were_ happened to be the ones that made him want to wipe the entire damned race off the face of all three worlds.

In the…how long had it been? Three months?…three months he'd been trapped here, he had grown to hate the Shigure-ningen-Kabuto, even more than the red-headed buffoon.

And considering Kabuto _wasn't _hitting on Hiei's sister, that's saying a lot.

Three months. That's how long he had been in this scuzz-hole.

Three months of anger, and hatred, and pain. _Always_ the pain.

If they'd even bothered to _ask_, Hiei could have told them that his healing ability couldn't be replicated.

He _could_ have, but his youkai pride would have probably stopped him from doing so.

But, for now, he waited. Because at the moment, the only thing that kept him going was the thought that he might, somehow, get _out _of this scuzz-hole.

And, if he happened to take off Kabuto's smugly grinning head while he was at it, well, he wouldn't complain.


	6. Rescue Mission

It was a rescue mission.

They were going to save Sasuke.

They had gotten information, telling them where Orochimaru's newest base was located.

Naruto had begged, and pleaded, and made himself a general nuisance, until Tsunade had agreed to send a team to investigate. If only to shut him up.

Naruto, Kakashi, Sakura.

Kakashi for tactics.

Naruto for brute force…and the occasional flash of brilliant insight, but don't tell _him_ I said that.

Sakura for their medic. No one was naïve enough to think they would get out of this uninjured.

When they entered the snake's lair, immediately, something felt…_wrong_.

It was eerily silent in the tunnels, and the very _air_ was oppressive. It wasn't the usual aura of evil that tended to permeate the typical Orochimaru lair.

_This_ was something else.

-_Jyaki?_- the Kyuubi murmured.

'What's jyaki?' Naruto asked.

The fox ignored him. -_It _couldn't_ be jyaki…not with the Makai barrier up…and those damned detective._-

The team moved through the underground complex cautiously, always on the lookout for Kabuto or the snake-Sannin himself.

And, then, they reached a door, from which the odd aura seemed to be emanating.

Kakashi motioned for his team to be on their guard, and cracked open the door. After a moment, he stepped inside, the other two shinobi following.

Sakura gasped, as she registered the occupant of the room. Surely, _no_ one could lose that much blood and still be alive.

But, sure enough, the boy was breathing. He shifted slightly, hissing as the chains he wore cut further into his wrists.

Immediately, Sakura was wrenching the lock off the cell, and rushing to the boy's side.

"What-" he began, voice rough, but then, he saw her. "_You_!"

She was surprised at the recognition she heard. She'd never met this boy before, had she? Was he, perhaps, a shinobi from another village, and he had seen her entry in the Bingo Book? His next words confused her.

"You little _idiot_! You have to _go!"_

She frowned. "You're obviously ill. I can't leave you in your condition. And, besides, we'll be fine, with them here to-" She turned to gesture at her team, and was stunned into silence.

They were surrounded.


	7. Trapped

The boy glared at her, and she noticed his eyes were red.

"_See_?" he hissed. "You should have left while you still had the chance."

"He's quite right, Sakura-chan." Kabuto commented, walking out from among the Oto-nin. "Because _now_, well, now you're trapped. Your team will die, and _you_, dear Sakura-chan, oh, do we have plans for _you_."

The boy next to Sakura lunged at Kabuto, murderous intent clear in his eyes.

In an instant, the silver-haired medi-nin was surrounded by several other shinobi. The boy continued on, regardless of his own safety. He managed to fell two of the six that protected Orochimaru's right hand, before being struck down himself. Even then, face down on the floor, an Oto boot on his neck, and countless weapons trained on him, he looked up at Kabuto with hatred, a vicious snarl ripping out of him.

'_What_ is he?' Sakura found herself wondering.

Kabuto smirked, approaching the restrained boy. "You _do _hate me, don't you, Jaganshi?" he mocked, kneeling down to eye-level with the boy.

'Jaganshi?' Sakura thought.

And, at that moment, she noticed the pale eye in the center of his forehead, partially obscured by his slipping headband, and the strands of his matted, black hair.


	8. Another Sasuke

Hiei scowled as he was shackled back into his cell, the pink-haired girl right next to him. Really, he thought, yet again. _Pink_? What a stupid color. Did it have something to do with the girl's rather apparent idiocy? No…He knew Genkai, and the old psychic was in no way stupid, despite her unfortunate hair pigment.

But, this is not the point.

"You _should_ have run, you fool." Hiei turned his scowl on Sakura. "They were after _you_. The rest of us…collateral damage."

She glared at him. "We'll get out of here. Naruto and sensei will break me out." The words were as much to reassure herself, as to shut him up.

He snorted. "Relying on someone else to save you, onna? I suppose I should expect nothing less, from a _ningen_." He spat the last word in disgust.

"Oh, _really_? And how are _you _going to get out?" Sakura retorted. "You know, without anyone else?"

His crimson eyes closed, perhaps in fatigue. "Hn."

Sakura sighed. The Kami had an unhealthy obsession with her life.

What other explanation could there _possibly_ be, for her to be stuck with _another_ Sasuke?

***~~~***

"Uh, Koenma-sama." Boton asked hesitantly. The tiny demigod looked up from his seemingly endless piles of evil paperwork.

"Yes, Boton?"

"Hiei hasn't reported back in a while. Should we be worried?" the blue-haired reaper asked.

Koenma frowned. "…Hiei isn't one to follow rules, but…he _has _made pretty regular reports on this mission…" His brow furrowed in thought…then…

"Boton!"

"Yes, Koenma-sama!"

"Go check on Hiei!"

"Yes, sir, Koenma-sama!"

***~~~***

_Read and Review!!!_


	9. Kurama

Sakura was internally panicking when a '_pop_' interrupted her train of thought.

"Well, _there_ you are!" a cheerful, female voice said.

"Took you long enough." the boy- Jaganshi, Sakura had taken to calling him, that being the only name she had for him- replied.

Sakura opened her eyes. There, in the middle of the cell she shared with Jaganshi, was a blue-haired woman in a pretty kimono.

On an oar.

_Floating_.

Sakura blinked, to make sure she wasn't seeing things.

Nope. Still there.

"Oh! Where are my manners?" the blue-haired hallucination asked. She zoomed over to Sakura. "Hi ya! I'm Boton! Pleased to meet you!"

"N-nice to meet you, too…" Sakura replied, wide-eyed. "I'm Sakura Haruno…"

"Onna, cease your niceties, and free me." Jaganshi growled. "The hanyou the toddler set me to watching is no threat to ningen, but the ningen _here_ may change that. If your master wants to avoid his 'meaningless bloodshed', you'd best get moving."

Boton pouted, but moved back over to Jaganshi. "Why must you be so…so _abrupt_?" she asked, waving her hand over the shackles. "Is it like a youkai thing? Because Kurama isn't _half_ as mean as you, and Yusuke is nice…when he feels like it."

The shackles popped open. Jaganshi fell to the floor in a crouch, waiting a moment before moving to the door. "Do not compare me to the fox or the detective, onna." he ordered. "I am _not_ like them."

And then he was gone.

Boton waved her again, conjuring a swirling portal.

"Umm…excuse me…" Sakura spoke up, rattling her chains a bit.

"Oh! So sorry!" the other girl sang. She moved her hand over the chains. Just like Jaganshi's, these immediately opened. Sakura leaped to the floor, headed to the exit.

"Uhhh…WAIT!" Boton's voice, loud.

Sakura spun to face her. "_What_?" she snapped.

The blue-haired girl had the grace to look abashed. "I can't let you follow him…"

"The _hell_ you can't!"

"…alone." Sakura gaped, decidedly fish-like. "So!" Boton clapped her hands, beaming cheerfully.

A red-headed young…man?…Woman?…Sakura noted a few things- _special_, medi-nin things, thank you _very_ much, perverts. Yep, _definitely_ a man.- stepped out of the vortex Boton had summoned.

"Kurama, meet Sakura Haruno!" Boton was saying. "Sakura, meet Shuiichi Minamino."

Kurama-slash-Shuiichi bowed low, drawing Sakura's hand to his lips. "_Sakura_…" he murmured. "That means 'spring cherry blossom', you know."

She yanked her hand away from him. "I am aware." she said flatly.

"Well…" he said, straitening. She noticed his eyes were weird- emerald green, like hers, but with flecks of amber sparkling in the depths of them. "You may call me Kurama…_cherry blossom-chan_." He gave her a confident smirk.

'_Oh dear Kami, what have I gotten into?' _


	10. Who's Hiei?

Boton vanished into her portal, wishing Kurama and Sakura luck. Sakura turned back to the red-head, only to find him studying her intently, expression tense and a little curious.

"Hmmmm…_definitely_ ningen, there's no jyaki there…and there's no significant levels of reiki, to speak of, either…yes, yes, she's very pretty, that's _not_ the point…I _suppose _she _could_ be a hanyou, good point…" He sounded like he was discussing her with somebody…Somebody who was either _invisible_ or didn't _exist_.

Great. Now the Kami, tiring of sticking her with Sasuke Look A Likes, and causing her Deep Emotional Anguish, had stuck her in a room with a Crazy Person. A Possibly _Dangerous_ Crazy Person. That was just freaking _great_.

Without warning, he reached out, to do…what? Sakura didn't know, and she sure as hell wasn't going to find out. In an instant, she had him slammed against the wall, chakra scalpels flickering mere inches away from his eye.

"Such _interesting_ usage of power…like that…Kibano, was it?…Hm, yes, I believe you're correct…that Kibano, Boton told us about, in Genkai's tournament…" he murmured, and his eyes abruptly changed color. They were _entirely_ gold now, and if he wasn't dangerous _before_, at the moment, his aura said _quite _different.

"What _are_ you, little ningen?" he asked. His voice had changed, as well. It was deeper, smoother…velvety, even. She glared at him. _She_ was the one in charge here! And he had the _nerve_ to be so…so…

"I am a shinobi of Konohagakure." she replied. No, she didn't trust him, but he had nothing to gain from the knowledge of who she was.

His lip curled. "A _shinobi_? You? With such…" Here, he reached out to flick a piece of her loose hair. "…_ridiculously_ colored hair? I'm not sure what you've been taught, but _pink_ is _not_ a very stealthy color, shinobi-chan."

He _did_ have a point, there.

Which was probably why his words served to anger Sakura all the more. And she punched a hole in the wall next to his head. Temper? _What _temper?

Again, his eyes shifted, back to green, this time. "My deepest apologies, cherry blossom-chan." he said, his voice back to what it was before. "That happens when I am feeling threatened. And I am feeling rather…threatened, at the moment."

He didn't _sound_ threatened. The bastard sounded _amused._

"If you would, cherry blossom-chan, could you tell me where Hiei went to?" he asked pleasantly.

"Hiei?" Sakura blinked, confused. "Who's Hiei?"


	11. Ningen

_Aaaaand...Here you are! The next chapter of 'Similarities'...as if anyone's still actually reading this thing. _

* * *

To Sakura's surprise- considering the speed Jaganshi had left at, and the head start he had- She and Kurama actually caught up to him.

He'd obtained a blade from somewhere, the gleaming weapon held loosely in an expert swordsman's grip. The tip of said sword dug into Kabuto's collarbone.

Jaganshi looked up as they entered. A flicker of emotion- surprise, perhaps- flashed through the carmine depths, but that was quickly hidden away. "Fox." he said to Kurama in greeting. '_Fox_?' Inner Sakura wondered.

"Hello, Hiei." Kurama returned. '_Hiei? There's that _name _again._' Inner Sakura grumbled. "You don't know what a _relief_ it is to see you alive." Hiei-slash-Jaganshi-slash-whatever the hell his name actually was, snorted. "As if a pack of weak ningen could kill me." He dug the sword a bit deeper into the medi-nin's neck. "They're barely _F-class_."

"_Whaaaaat_?" Sakura burst out. "_He_-" Here, she gestured to the fallen medic, "-and Orochimaru are _S-class missing-nin_!" Two sets of eyes- '_Not human, no way, no how…_' Inner Sakura commented- emerald green and bloody crimson focused on her, cat-like in their calculating gazes.

Hiei looked away first. "Not _even_ F-class." he corrected himself.

"Well, they _are_ ningen, Hiei." Kurama agreed. "Oh, and Koenma said you can kill them, if you like."

"I was going to anyway."

"I believe he's trying to make it seem like he has _some_ level of control over his Tentai."

"He doesn't."

"Of course."

Sakura couldn't just _listen _to this. "How can you be so…so…You're talking about _killing_ people!"

Hiei-slash-Jaganshi-slash-_whatever_, glanced at Kurama. "Why did you bring _her_?" Kurama shrugged. "She was going to come anyway. Boton just assigned me baby-sitter."

Sakura bristled. 'I'm not a baby." Kurama didn't twitch. "My apologies, cherry-blossom-chan. Boton assigned me _ningen_-sitter."

"Same difference." Hiei scoffed.

"I _wanted _to _help_!" Sakura snapped, glaring at the shorter male.

"Ummm…Perhaps we should get moving?" Kurama suggested. "Hiei, if you could finish up here?"

Hiei glared back at the pinkette. "Well, you're _not_." he shot back. "Stupid ningen, you're going to get yourself _killed_."

"Having trouble, are we?" Kabuto managed to snark. Hiei turned his glare down at the silver-haired medi-nin. "_You_, shut up. I'll kill _you _in a moment."

"Actually," Kabuto replied, "I don't think you will."

And without any further warning, the medic disappeared in a 'poof' of smoke, leaving Hiei to glare murderously at the unfortunate log that had taken his victim's place.

* * *

_So, there ya go. A new chapter. Love me. Worship me. Adore me. And don't ask me when the next update will be. I will not answer._

_But, seriously, like I said in 'One Shot of Jin, Please', it's all written up in my NOTEBOOK OF JUSTICE! (I really do call it that.) I just have to fix it, so that I am happy with it. Which might take awhile, for I am nothing if not a perfectionist. _

_So, read and review! _


	12. Misunderstanding

_Wow, lookit me, updating so fast._

* * *

It was obvious to Sakura that Hiei-slash- You know what, forget it. Kurama calls him Hiei, she would, too. In her mind. Because he was still a Sasuke-Look-Alike, so therefore, she would not satisfy him with the knowledge that she knew his name. So.

It was obvious to Sakura that _Hiei_ was going to hunt down Kabuto.

It was equally obvious to Kurama and Hiei that the ningen, Sakura, was going to follow them. Since she was, already. Talking the whole damn way. Funny, but you'd think a shinobi'd be a bit stealthier, what with the_ pink_ hair, and _constant_ chattering.

So, she didn't even notice when two guards hurried down the hall they were in. Without a word, Hiei turned and moved at her, Kurama going to…um…_disable_ the guards. And by 'disable', I mean 'kill'.

"What are you doin-" Hiei cut off Sakura's inquiry, shoving her into a shadowed alcove against the wall. "Mlmph!" she said in indignation, eyes widened in shock. This was the most compromising position she'd been in with a boy- _man_, she amended- and Hiei was rather…_fit_. She tried to shove him off her, but he grabbed her wrists, pinioning them to her sides. "Stop." he ordered her, voice a low rumble in her chest.

Far from complying, she struggled all the more. He replied by moving closer to her, crushing her between the cold stone and his body.

Sakura had never felt so helpless. She was a _kunoichi_. She was _strong_. She had worked _hard_ to get where she was.

But, Hiei…well, she didn't know _what_ he was. He was stronger, far stronger than her. And, doubtless, he'd worked harder. The muscles she was currently hyper-aware of were proof of that.

He'd be able to do _whatever_ he liked, and Sakura would be powerless to stop him.

* * *

_Ooooh, Sakura is having a bit of a misunderstanding! I wonder what will happen next! Wait...No, that's not right. I KNOW, what's going to happen. YOU guys are the ones wondering! Hahaha! But, anyway, the next chapter'll be out soon! (And it'll be out faster if you read and review!)_

_And don't forget to got to my profile, and vote for the outcome!_


	13. Understanding

_Yet another chapter! Things are starting to get verrrry interesting!_

* * *

And then…he moved away. Not just _moved_, either, but backed away from her as if she had the plague.

"Wha- What the _hell _was _that_?" she gasped. He avoided looking at her. "Guards." he shortly. She looked, and there at Kurama's feet were two Oto-nin. The kitsune's frowned, as his nose twitched. "Why does she reek of…_arousal_? Hiei, _what_, in the name of Koenma, have you _done_?"

Hiei glared at the red-head. "I was _hiding_ her from the _guards_, fox. It's hardly my fault that the stupid onna thinks I'm going to _rape_ her, or something equally foolish." he snarled. He turned on her, fury clear in his eyes. "As if I would lower myself to rut with a _ningen_. I'm not _you_, fox."

Sakura's eyes prickled at his harsh rebuke. Kurama caught it. "Hiei, " he suggested, "why don't you go ahead, and clear out the rest of the guards? Cherry blossom-chan and I'll go look for her friends."

With a short '_Hn_', the shorter male was gone, in a blur of black. Kurama gently took Sakura by the arm, leading her in the opposite direction down the short hallway.

"I think he likes you." he said abruptly. She looked up, disgust in her gaze. "Don't lie. He _hates_ me."

"Not at all." Kurama said mildly. "You just have to understand where he's _from_. Hiei's ruthless, merciless, but once you have his trust, he'll _die_ for you. And he doesn't trust easily, cherry blossom-chan."

They walking in silence for another minute, before Kurama spoke again. "He's been shunned and hated his entire life. When he was barely more than an infant, he was…exiled from his home, his_ people_, simply for being born. He's had to fight for anything he ever wanted. But, he's been doing his best to change, to become someone could be proud of…he's been _protecting_ you, cherry blossom-chan, despite how much it goes against his instincts. And, just now, when you thought he would take advantage of someone under his protection...you _hurt _him. And he forgives about as easily as he trusts."

Sakura opened her mouth to reply, but Kurama interrupted. "Here." He tapped a heavy-looking door. "You friends are here."

* * *

_Remember to read, review and vote on the poll, easily accessible from my profile!_

_Also, though I appreciate ALL of your reviews, please try to leave constructive criticism, cough cough _YUCHI1994_ cough cough. _

_Reviews make me upload faster! The next chapter is all typed out!  
_


	14. Kitsune

_Does anyone know what Orochimaru's sword is named? The one he regurgitates? I need to know for one of the future chapters_

* * *

Naruto's head jerked up, as the door was ripped off it's hinges, to reveal…

"Sakura-chan!" he yelled.

"Naruto! Kakashi-sensei!" she cried, rushing over to free them. In the hectic, tear-full reunion, Kurama was almost overlooked.

_Almost._

"Who's your friend, Sakura?" Kakashi asked guardedly. Kurama bowed slightly to the Copy-nin. "Kurama Minamino, at your service" he said politely, face and voice betraying nothing.

"Urrrg! This isn't opening!" Sakura growled in frustration. Kurama gently nudged her aside. "Allow me, cherry blossom-chan." he suggested. He knelt to eye-level with Naruto's shackles, reached behind his head, and procured a blade of grass. Using said piece of grass, Kurama inserted it into the lock, and, within seconds, the lock was open and Naruto free.

"Hey, thanks, mister." Naruto said. Blue eyes met green specked with amber, and Naruto's widened slightly- one fox recognizing another.

"Y-you…you're…" Naruto struggled. Kurama smirked. "Indeed." he agreed. Kakashi narrowed his lone eye at the red-head, who turned his smirk over to the Copy-nin.

* * *

_This'll be the last update until I find out what Orochimaru's sword is called. It's really bothering me, so if anyone knows, PM me._

_Remember, read, review, and go to the poll on my profile and vote!  
_


	15. End of All Hope

Hiei cut through a swathe of guards, almost mechanically. It was surprisingly easy- considering how much he prided himself on control- to let his sword-arm do all the work, and let his mind wander.

Cut, hack, slice, dodge.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

While he fought, his mind whirled with thoughts, about that pink-haired_ fool_.

She thought he'd harm her. She thought he'd _harm_ her. Stupid little_ twit._ If he was going to _hurt_ her, he certainly wouldn't have _waited_ all this time. He'd been watching her- not _her_, her stupid, ningen _village_- for months. If he was going to _hurt_ her, she'd be dead already. But…

_She_ didn't know that. All _she_ knew of him was what she'd seen _here_. The Jagan- helpful, little thing that it is- chose that moment to flash an image at him, pulled from the girl's mind. It was of the first time she'd seen him.

_-He was broken, bleeding, lying in a pool of his own blood. To her, he looked pitifully vulnerable.-_

Hiei snarled, neatly beheading an Oto lackey. He. Was_ not_. _Vulnerable_. EVER. Kami damn that pink-haired, too-trusting, _weak_- But the Jagan cut in again.

_-He was snarling, animal-like, at Kabuto, viciously feral. Proud, even though he'd been subdued. His red eyes flashing in contempt and fury and the promise of murder.-_

His rage abated somewhat. _That_ was more like it. _That_ was how ningen were _supposed _to see youkai. But…

In her thoughts, there was none of the fear or horror he expected. She was…_enthralled_. She thought he looked like an avenging angel…_What_, in the Kami-blasted_ hell_ kind of ningen _nonsense_ was _that_? He snorted, pulling his sword out of another man's stomach. An_ angel_? _Him?_ What was that stupid onna_ on_? He was the farthest thing from an angel she'd ever meet.

The Jagan wasn't done, either.

_-"Stop." he ordered. She felt his voice, like thunder in his chest. And she felt trapped. Not something a kunoichi likes to feel. So, she struggled. She was helpless…so helpless…he was too strong… but he wasn't hurting her…He was being gentle, surprisingly so. The entire time she'd known him, he'd been gruff, harsh, almost cruel. But now…he really wasn't trying to hurt her. And, then, just as she began to relax in his embrace, he literally leaped away from her. As if he wanted as little contact with her as possible. Then, Kurama spoke…and Hiei's scathing rebuttal. _

_Why? Why did he hate her so?-_

Hiei's eyes bled red…er. They bled _redder_. Because they're _already_ quite red.

_Why_? Why did he always have to screw up? Ever since he was _born_, the wrong gender. He'd been thrown off a mountain for that, a Kami-fucked _mountain._

Maybe the Kami just didn't care. Maybe it all just went to show that the Forbidden Children didn't. Deserve. _Anything_. Not a single damn thing.

He snarled yet again, in irritated rage. He _needed _to kill something and, would you look at that, he was all out of Oto guards.

A cruel smirk spread across his face.

Time to find Kabuto.


	16. Dead Dolls

_Much thanks and virtual cookies to _Scurryfunger_, for telling me the name of Orochimaru's creepy-ass sword. I'm going to need it for a later chapter._

* * *

Kurama and what remained of Team Seven left the cell in silence, and that silence stayed unbroken as they traveled down the hallway.

Naruto was gazing up at Kurama, with a look that was alternating parts fear and hero-worship.

Kakashi stared at the red-head in obvious suspicion, though he stayed quiet. If it came down to a fight, the Copy-nin was certain he could take the stranger.

And Sakura…Sakura was on the lookout for any sign that Hiei had passed this way.

Kurama glanced at the sole kunoichi of the group. "You know, if he's trying to hide, cherry blossom-chan, you won't find him."

"_Who's_ trying to hide?" Kakashi asked.

"Hiei." Kurama replied, at the same moment as Sakura blurted, "Jaganshi."

Thankfully though, they were spared further investigation, as they entered the next chamber.

"What in the…Oh, dear _Kami_…" Sakura breathed.

Even Kakashi, veteran ANBU operative, had paled at the carnage that faced them.

"Who could have done this?" Naruto gasped.

"Hiei." Kurama replied, at the same moment as Sakura blurted, "Jaganshi…"

"Friend of yours?" Kakashi asked, looking directly at Kurama.

Kurama was unperturbed- by the question _and _the gore. "The very best." he said. "Let's keep moving."

* * *

_As always, read and review! Also, go to the poll on my profile, and VOTE! I want your input!_

_Goth Lolita promises to update soon!  
_


	17. The Youko Has Returned, They Cry

They caught up with Hiei.

The Forbidden was stalking a heavily wounded Kabuto, stolen sword ablaze with black flames. Something about the scene reminded Sakura of a cat playing with a mouse…right before it killed it.

"And short, dark, and angry would be…" Kakashi trailed off, waiting for an identification.

"Hiei." Kurama replied. The red-head frowned, watching the two, before reaching out his hand.

Vines sprung _out_ of Kabuto, spurting blood, and gore, and _all_ kinds of icky parts. Hiei turned on Kurama, eyes filled with anger. "The Vetch? When did you-"

"When you had him before." Kurama replied calmly.

"That was _my_ kill, damn you, fox!" Hiei snarled.

"Don't you think this has gone on long enough, Hiei?" Kurama shot back. "_No_. He deserved to fucking _suffer_." Hiei said coldly. "Oh, really? I wonder-" "You _wonder_ entirely too much for your own damn good." "-I wonder what _Yukina_ would have to say about your rather…ruthless attitude."

Hiei tensed. "Shut. Up."

Kurama, in true kitsune style, ignored him. "You're not a bandit anymore, Hiei. You're a very different person."

"I suppose you'd know _all_ about _that_, hmmm, fox?" Hiei snapped.

Kurama merely looked at him, and Sakura glimpsed his eyes. His strange eyes showed that, yes, he _did _know all about that. His lips moved, as he murmured something she couldn't quite catch.

"What'd he say?" she asked Kakashi.

The Copy-nin frowned in confusion. "He said 'Youko has returned, they cry.'"


	18. Snake

_To _Twisted Musalih_: if you liked Hiei's reaction to Kurama 'stealing his prey', you'll have a fit of laughing in a few chapters. _

* * *

Hiei didn't respond to the strange statement, but he _did_ relax slightly. He and Kurama stared at each other for a long moment, before Naruto broke the silence.

"Teme!"

Sakura whirled, and sure enough, there was Sasuke in the doorway.

But…there was something…_off_ about him, a fact that was confirmed when Hiei spoke.

"Fox, what happens when a snake sheds it's skin?"

"It's still a snake, of course." Kurama replied, eyes narrowed at the Uchiha. "I wonder if Koenma knows about this?"

"If he doesn't, he will soon enough." Hiei said, turning to Sasuke. "_He_ can tell the toddler-prince after I kill him."

Sakura and Naruto gaped at the Forbidden Child.

"Over my dead body, you kill the teme!" Naruto exclaimed, stepping forward to stop Hiei. But, before he could do anything, _he_ was stopped by _Kakashi_. "Kakashi-sensei, what are you _doing_?" Sakura shrieked.

"That's not Sasuke." he replied.

"What? Of _course_ it's Sasuke! Now, lemme go, so I can save him." Naruto replied.

And it was at this point that Sasuke spat out the Kusanagi no Tsurugi.

"_Orochimaru_." Sakura whispered in shock. _No_, Sasuke _couldn't _be…_gone. S_he fell to her knees, tears pooling in her eyes. "No…"

"Can I kill him now?" Hiei asked callously. "Or are your foolish ningen qualms going to interfere?"

"No." Naruto said, voice low, staring at the ground.

"No?" Kurama inquired.

"No." Naruto repeated, looking up. Kurama studied the boy's eyes in avid, undisguised interest. No longer blue, they were a dark shade of demonic red. "I'm going to kill him myself."

* * *

_Well, I wanted to say something sarcastic and snarky, yet funny here, but finals are coming up, and brain wants to die. So, it was unable to think up anything to fit that criteria._

_Instead, you get the standard demand: Read. Review. And VOTE.  
_

_Goth Lolita  
_


	19. Schizophrenia

~_Hiei_~

:_Kurama_:

'_Sakura_'

-_Inner_-

* * *

But, like I said, something seemed _off_. Sakura realized that, in the moments before she had her _complete_ and _total_ emotional breakdown.

_Why_ was Orochimaru allowing this time to gather themselves? Surely, he didn't think that they'd fall to infighting, trying to decide who got to kill him…Actually, that seemed like a pretty viable option, considering the way Hiei was glaring at Naruto.

Or _maybe_ he was just being a sadistic _bastard_. Yup, that sounded about right…but, _still_, he had to have _some_ ulterior gain from this…

The answer hit Sakura like Chouji's Human Boulder Technique.

They were caught in a genjutsu. That _bastard_ had them in a _genjutsu_. She should _probably_ tell someone, but…

But she was having a bit of trouble pulling herself together.

'_Ummm, Inner? A little help here_?' she thought.

-_Nope. I'm too busy having our heart shatter into bazillions of tiny, irrevocably broken, pieces, that will never, ever be put back together._-

'_And people _wonder_ why I don't have more friends._'

~_You're more of a fool than I thought._~ Hiei's voice echoed in her mind.

"Wha-" she said out loud. Hiei glared at her.

:_Just think, cherry blossom-chan. We'll hear you._: Kurama's voice joined Hiei's.

Oh, that was just _great_. Now she had _three_ voices in her head.

As if _one_ wasn't enough.

~_Would you _stop_, and _listen_?_~ Hiei snapped.

:_ Ah, yes…We seem to be trapped in an illusion. Any suggestions?_:

~_I say we kill the bastard._~

Sakura felt a pang of pain at those words.

And, apparently, both Hiei and Kurama felt it from her, as well.

:_Of course, if we could find another way, Koenma could probably reinsoul the body.: _Kurama offered hastily.

Hiei said nothing, but she felt the disapproval radiating off of his mind.

* * *

_You all know the drill. Read. Review. _

_Don't bother with the poll. I've written up the part I needed it for, and it'll be taken down as soon as I have a chance._

_Wish me luck. I have Regents this week.  
_


	20. Blood Rights

~_Hiei_~

:_Kurama_:

'_Sakura_'

-_Inner_-

* * *

~_Doesn't matter if the paper-pushing brat can find a way. Kill the host, and the soul goes straight to Reikai. I'll do the honors._~ Hiei finally said coldly.

-_B-but…_Sasuke!- Inner Sakura blurted.

~_I do not care _what_ the container was to you, ningen. The soul _inside_ put me through torture _you_ could probably never even _imagine_. And I. Claim. My. Blood Right.~_

'_Blood right_?' Sakura whispered.

:_Ah…it's a rather old law from where we grew up. _His_ blood was spilled, so he has the right to kill the one who spilled it. An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth. Blood for blood._: Kurama explained.

Sakura remembered that Kurama had mentioned, in passing, that Hiei had been a bandit.

And, as if thinking about him had opened a floodgate, Sakura was suddenly immersed in memories, memories that _weren't _hers.

Death.

That was what _all _of them showed.

Death, and blood, and a lonely, forbidden child.

"GET. OUT." Hiei snarled, speaking out loud.

* * *

_Sooooo, my finals are _finally_ done, and summer vacation is here! Unfortunately, this does not mean that I will be updating more often. I, by mandate of my mother, have to find a summer job, and I probably have to go to summer school. Because my trig teacher doesn't _teach_. I'll update whenever I have a chance, but don't expect the overload of updates I've become accustomed to._

_Also, I'm going away for a week, to my cousin's wedding, so I won't be able to update then, either._

_Much apologies, Goth Lolita  
_


	21. Breaking the Genjutsu

_Sorry, it's been a while, hasn't it? You have Goth Lolita's deepest apologies. However, passing Algebra 2/ Trig the second time around takes precedence over fanfic. Crazy, right?

* * *

_

Sakura felt as if she were emerging from deep water, as she slowly become aware of Kurama holding her upright.

'_Hiei_?' she silently questioned, only to be met by a wall of darkness, a wall she couldn't get past.

"Sakura." Kurama's use of her name, for the first time since she'd met him, drew her attention. She looked at him. His eyes were deadly serious. "The illusion. How do we break it?"

"W-we could use a genjutsu release, o-or neutralize the caster." she murmured. "Neutralize…How?" Kurama inquired gently. "By hurting the host body…or…or by…_killing_ him." she whispered the last part.

"Sakura…" Kurama sounded apologetic. "We'll try to save him."

"Hn. Speak for _yourself_, fox." Hiei snorted.

Kurama glared at the shorter male. "He's obviously important to you. If there's _any_ other way-"

"No." Sakura interrupted. "He's too strong. We _have _to kill him."

"Are you _sure_, Sakura?" Kurama asked.

"…Yes…" she barely got the word out.

"Alright." he said, raising a hand.

The ground rumbled, followed by a horrible ripping noise.

"What the- WHAT THE HELL? You used the fucking DEATH TREE? I Had. Blood Claim."

Sakura buried her face in the red-head's shoulder.

"It was a kinder death than Hiei would have given." he murmured to her. "I know…" she whispered back.

Naruto and Kakashi burst into the room. "Sakura-chan!" Naruto cried. "Sasuke, he…he's…" Kakashi spoke up. "He's dead, Sakura."

"I know." she repeated, voice dead.

"I'm sorry." Kurama said to the room in general, as Hiei ranted in the background.

* * *

_Righty oh! Next chapter, the rest of the Reikai Tentai show up! Yes, that's right! The long awaited arrival of Yusuke and Kuwabara! Don't you love me?_

_Remember, read and review!_


	22. Clean Up Detail

_Goth Lolita returns, with yet another chapter of _Similarities_! Enjoy!_

* * *

Boton arrived a little while later, bringing with her two other boys. One was of average height, with slicked back black hair, and the swagger of a fighter. The other was, like Kurama, a red-head, though no where near as pretty, and _much_ taller.

"Kazuma Kuwabara, at your service, dear lady." the red-head said by way of introduction, clasping Sakura's hands. Hiei glowered murderously at him, while Kurama merely looked amused, and the other boy rolled his eyes.

"What about _Yu-ki-na_?" the as-yet-unnamed boy asked, drawing out the name mockingly.

Kuwabara got hearts in his eyes, and Kurama hastily distracted Hiei long enough that he didn't murder either of the newcomers.

"Oh, I'm Yusuke Urameshi, by the way." the other boy said with a confident smirk. "Nice to meet cha." He gave a wave to the three shin obi, before turning to Kurama. "Pacifier-bitch wants to see you. And Short Stuff. _And_ her." He jerked a thumb back at Sakura. "Something about 'closure' or something. I don't actually listen to him anymore."

"Did you ever, detective?" Hiei muttered.

Kurama blinked, seeming a bit thrown. "He wants us to take her to Reikai?"

"I just _said _that, didn't I? Jeeze, fox-boy, keep up. Anyway, he wants you right away. Me an' Kuwabara are the clean up detail." Yusuke told them.

* * *

_SOME OF YOU MAY BE UNAWARE OF THE FACT THAT TODAY IS THE BILLY MAYS MEMORIAL. IN HIS MEMORY, ALL THINGS TYPED OR WRITTEN TODAY SHOULD BE IN CAPS. BILLY MAYS, YOU WILL BE MISSED._

_On a more serious note, though not by much, the story is winding down. All the action is in my _NOTEBOOK OF JUSTICE! _(Patent pending, thank you very much). There are only __(approximately) __five more chapters left until the end, so keep on reading!  
_


	23. Reikai

Emerging from the portal Boton had conjured, Sakura didn't know exactly what to expect.

But, it certainly _wasn't_ the chaos that she was faced with. "Wh-what are _those_?" she stammered, pointing to the many- generally loin-cloth clad- creatures rushing around. "Hmmm?" Kurama asked, glancing over to her. She nodded to the…_things_. "Oh, them. They're ogres. They do the paperwork Koenma's too lazy to do himself. The ferry-girls, like Boton, do the field work, picking up dead souls and bringing them to Judgment."

"What about you? And those boys…Kazuma and Yusuke? What do you all do?" was what she wanted to know. "That's actually a hard question, cherry blossom-chan…" he mused. "We _call_ ourselves Reikai Tentai, because that was Yusuke's title before we joined him, but officially, he's the only one actually _employed_ by Koenma."

"And unofficially?" she inquired.

"Unofficially, Yusuke is the tentai, Hiei and myself are criminals on probation, and Kuwabara follows us only because we are incapable of stopping him." He chuckled at her confused expression. "Cherry blossom-chan, we work for the son of a god. It's slightly impossible to work off the books. He has a use for us, but he's reluctant to put us on the payroll."

She might have replied, but at that moment, the door before them burst open, a large, blue ogre rushing out. "Good afternoon, Jorge." Kurama nodded to him.

"Ah! Kurama-sama, hello!" the ogre ,whose name was apparently 'Jorge', replied.

"Cherry blossom-chan, this is Jorge, personal assistant to Koenma. Jorge, this is Sakura Haruno, kunoichi of Ningenkai." Kurama introduced them.

"A pleasure to meet you, Haruno-san." Jorge said cheerfully. "I'd love to stay and chat, but Koenma-dono wants the file on our newest soul. He's going _straight t_o hell, of course, but you know…formalities." He lumbered away.

Kurama knocked on the door.

"WHAAAAT?" a voice yelled. "JORGE, IF THAT'S YOU, AND YOU DON'T HAVE MY FILE, SO HELP ME I WILL-"

"It's Kurama." the red-head called.

"Oh. Come on in." the voice replied, in a calmer tone, and the door swung open.

Kurama and Sakura walked in to see…

* * *

_Ohhhh, I wonder what they're going to see! ...Wait, no I don't, I already know. _

_Kay, guys, you know the drill. Read and Review! Also, wish me luck. My summer school Regent is coming up, and I don't want to fail this time!  
_


	24. Penance

**Last time...**

_Kurama knocked on the door._

_"WHAAAAT?" a voice yelled. "JORGE, IF THAT'S YOU, AND YOU DON'T HAVE MY FILE, SO HELP ME I WILL-"_

_"It's Kurama." the red-head called._

_"Oh. Come on in." the voice replied, in a calmer tone, and the door swung open._

_Kurama and Sakura walked in to see…_

* * *

…A small child with a pacifier and an abnormally large hat, perched on top of the chair behind the desk.

"Awwwwww!" Sakura cooed. "Aren't you _cute_?" "Cherry blossom-chan…" She ignored Kurama. "What's your name, little guy? I'm Sakura, and we're looking for your Daddy." "_Cherry blossom_-_chan_…" "So, little guy, can you tell us where Koenma is?" She turned back to Kurama, who looked like he was trying very hard not to laugh. "Kurama, you didn't mention Koenma had a _son_-"

"I _don't_." the baby replied, glaring at her. "Kurama, _explain_. Immediately."

Kurama hid his smile behind a hand. "Well, you _did_ say you wanted to meet her, Koenma-sama." he answered.

"Hmph." Koenma scowled. "Well, I felt Reikai owed it to you, Sakura-san. Consider it payment for services rendered." He waved a pudgy hand.

And Sasuke stood before her. "Sasuke-kun!" she exclaimed, rushing to hug him. He returned the embrace. "Sakura." Kurama and Koenma both turned away to allow the two some modicum of privacy.

Tears stung her eyes. "I'm sorry we couldn't save you, Sasuke-kun." she whispered.

He smiled down at her. "It's alright, Sakura. By all accounts, I didn't _deserve_ saving. But…you…and Naruto…you never gave up on me, never gave up hope. You kept trying, despite _everything_ I did. So…thank you."

She sniffed. "You have to go…don't you?" He brushed her hair out of her face. "I do. Don't worry, I'm not going to Hell for all eternity. Just one of the Penance realms, for a little while. Then…" He looked at her, joy in his eyes. "I'm going to see my family again, Sakura." He began to fade. "Thank you, Sakura." He kissed her forehead. "Have a _wonderful_ life…"

And then, he was gone. For good, this time.

* * *

_Right, so review, and tell me what you all think. Be brutally honest. And I _know_ Sasuke was OOC, but honestly? The broody, angst-ridden anti-hero kind of sucks...unless it's Hiei. In my humble opinion, anyway._

_Goth Lolita, out.  
_


	25. Lena

_Haiiiiii, everyone! I figured i've kept you all waiting long enough! So, here is the next chapter of _Similarities_! _

* * *

Sakura turned to the tiny demigod, brushing water from her eyes. "He seemed…_different_." she accused.

Koenma shrugged. "Dying does that to some souls. He's let go of that thirst for revenge and power. If he hadn't, if he hadn't let go of all that hate, I would have sent him to Hell with his master."

"Orochimaru?" Sakura asked, just to be sure. Koenma nodded, eyes scarily cold for a being with the form of a baby. "_He's_ going to the deepest Hell dimension I can manage to open. I'll _personally_ make sure he's never reincarnated.

"Yes, because that just works _ever_ so well. Nothing gets past _you_, does it, Koenma-sama?" Kurama murmured. Both Sakura and the child-god ignored the reincarnated kitsune.

Sakura bowed to the demigod, in thanks. "Now, Kurama, get her back to Ningenkai. I don't want to see her back in this office until it's her time to die." Koenma ordered. "And send Hiei in. I need his report." Kurama bowed, as well. "Yes, of course, Koenma-sama." He turned, and walked out of the office, Sakura trailing close behind.

On their way out of the busy lobby, they saw Hiei being fawned over by a pretty young woman.

"Lena, I'm sorry, but I have to steal Hiei away from you. Koenma's orders." Kurama said politely.

The girl, whose name was apparently 'Lena', looked disappointed, but sauntered away.

Hiei stared after her for a long moment.

"Well…you _are_ rather attractive, Hiei." Kurama said, as if in answer to a question Sakura could not hear. "Hn." was Hiei's response, before he turned on a heel, and stalked away, in the direction they had just come from.

"Was she his…lover?" Sakura asked, curious about a female who would put up with such an angry individual…though, that was sort of the same thing _she_ had done with _Sasuke_…how odd.

Kurama stifled a surprised laugh. "Who? _Lena_?" At Sakura's nod, he actually _did_ laugh. "Oh, dear Inari, no. Lena's the Angel of Death." he told her. "And she loves nothing more, than to find a handsome male, and tell him when he's going to die."

Sakura gasped. "Hiei…he's going to _die?"

* * *

__So, just to clarify, this is _not_ the end of this fic...yet. There are a couple more chapters to go, so stay with me people!_

_Also, I won't be updating for perhaps a week, because my family's going on our end of the summer trip, and I won't have Internet access._

_Remember to review!  
_


	26. Death

Kurama smirked. "We're _all _going to die, eventually, cherry blossom-chan." The smirk fell. "But, Hiei…Well, his life was against the odds the moment he was born. Every second, of every day, is life or death for him…So, of course Lena enjoys his company."

Sakura just stared at him, and suddenly, it occurred to her that she knew next to _nothing_ about either Hiei or Kurama, save for some useless tidbits they had let drop. Kurama seemed to recognize the look she had, and his eyes flashed golden. "That's right, cherry blossom-chan." he said in that odd voice that was both his and someone else's. "There are people out there who've had hardships you've never _dreamed _of."


	27. Pity

Hiei emerged from Koenma's office exponentially more _pissed_ than he'd been going in.

And _that_ was saying something.

So, imagine how _thrilled_ he was to find 'cherry blossom-chan', as Kurama had taken to calling her- _damn_ fox- waiting for him.

He glared at her, knowing what she was there to say to him- _thank_ you, Jagan- praying to he _still_ didn't know what, that she got. The. Hint. That she _realized_ that he _didn't _want to _hear_ it.

Unfortunately- for _him_, at least, if not for the quietly amused Kurama lounging on one of the ogres' vacant desks- she was _far_ too…too…_ningen_ to take it.

"I wanted to say…" She took a deep breath, steadying herself. "…I'm _sorry_."

Hiei growled softly, as Kurama chuckled. After all this was done, he was going to have to _kill_ something. And if it _just so happened_ to be a _certain_, red-headed kitsune, well….Hiei wasn't going to complain.

"And I never realized that you had it so…so…_rough_, and I wish that I treated you nicer. I mean, you were trying to _help_ me, after all, right? So, I g uses, maybe we could be…friends? And-"

Damn it all, the silly twit was still _going_.

He interrupted abruptly. "I don't need your _pity_." He spat the last word, like it were a curse, and, to _him_, at least, it was.

He was the _Forbidden_. He didn't deserve _anything_, least of all _pity_, from a _ningen_.

Ignoring the girl's shocked, hurt look, he turned on his heel, storming down the hallway. He'd head back into the Ningenkai, and kill some poor, defenseless creature. Unless, of course, it was, in any obscure way, under the protection of Reikai and the bratty princeling.

_Damn_ Reikai and its _rules_.

Or perhaps, he'd return to the Makai for a bit. It'd been a while since his last visit, and no doubt there were some low-class youkai just _asking_ to be killed. No one would mind if he slaughtered a few dozen gutter-dwelling scum, and best of all, ningen couldn't _follow_ him there.

_Speaking _of ningen following him…


	28. Not Sasuke

"Hey you, Jaganshi! Wait u-" Sakura was cut short, as the dark-haired boy whirled on her, gleaming blade mere micrometers away from the skin of her throat. "Alright, _ningen_." he hissed. "Let's get this straight. My name. Is _not_. Jaganshi."

He had red eyes.

That was the first thing Sakura noticed about him.

The second thing was his dark hair, his pale skin, and his obvious perchance for wearing black.

And, last but far from least, she felt the aura of power surrounding him, his thirst for more power, his willingness to do anything to achieve that goal.

Tears sprung to her eyes, memories surging to the forefront of her mind, as he studied her in bored disdain.

But, he _wasn't_ Sasuke.

"Who are you, then?" Sakura whispered.

He studied her another moment, obviously debating whether or not to reply to her. But, he _did _lower his katana.

Just as she was despairing of receiving an answer, he spoke.

"Hiei." he said. "You can call me Hiei."


	29. Friendship

She smiled at him, a peace offering, and after a pause, he accepted it, smiling back tentatively, as if unsure how to go about it.

And, it was at that moment that Boton walked down the hall, and, upon seeing this _touching_ scene…

Screamed, and ran away.

Such a lovely reaction to the first smile Hiei's ever given a ningen.

"Koenma-sama! The apocalypse is happening!" she could be heard yelling. "_Again_!"

"Kurama!" the tiny deity shouted. "Whatever it is, _fix_ it!"

Upon which point, the red-headed kitsune turned the corner, and, being confronted with said touching scene…

Promptly dropped his Rose Whip, in shock.

Absolutely _lovely._

"Pardon me, Hiei…" he managed. "…but you _do_ know you're _smiling_? At a _ningen_?"

"I'm aware of the fact, fox." Hiei said, not talking his eyes off Sakura, still wearing that heart-breakingly hesitant smile.

"Well, alright then. As long as you know." Kurama said, dusting off his rose, as he picked it up off the floor. And then, a chilling smirk worked it's way across the kitsune's face. Sakura, having spent _much_ too much time living in close proximity to one Naruto Uzumaki, immediately recognized the look of a fox at mischief. "You know, Hiei…" he drawled. "…I'm _quite_ sure Yusuke and Kuwabara would be…_interested_, to re-make cherry blossom-chan's acquaintance, knowing she could make _you_ smile."

Hiei finally turned to face his ally-sometimes-friend, the smile twisting into a smirk to rival Kurama's. "Inform the dimwit, the detective, or _any_ combination of the two, and I will make perfectly _sure_ that you wish the Dark Mirror had taken its full payment."

Sakura watched the two interact, feeling as if she had regained something she had lost.

True, they weren't _exactly _like Naruto and Sasuke, but, still, Sakura thought she had maybe made two new friends.

* * *

_Aaaaaaandddddd..._

_THE END!_

_Goth Lolita wants to thank every and all reviewers! You guys are what kept me updating this until I finished!_

_Also, if anyone's interested, I might be writing _Similarities_ side-stories, like what happens to Hiei and Sakura after, or Sasuke's stay in a Penance dimension, or maybe even how Kuwabara and Yusuke find out about the smile!  
_


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